Hey sweet siestas!
How much fun is this? Can we all just stop for a minute and thank our beloved leader, Bible teacher and yes, friend, for spurring us on in this world of scripture memory? I fail every time on my own. We need our people to conquer this task, don’t we? I’m good for a couple of months and then I flat out quit and blame it on something other than myself. But, I won’t quit if I have y’all! I’m thankful for this community. I’m thankful for the accountability. Memorizing scripture has transformed my heart and mind…the Word is living, and we have the privilege to breathe it in when we open those sacred pages and be changed from the inside out.
Something that I have done as I have memorized scripture is to write a brief synopsis of why I chose the verse on the back of the index card. I also date it. At the end of the year, it’s so powerful to go back and read a mini-journal of God’s faithfulness and the journey you’ve taken together that particular year. Go back and do that if you haven’t done it already. I’ll bet it won’t take you long to recall why you picked a particular verse. It will be a sweet gift to read through at the end of 2015.
Ok, my name is Fran Thomas and I’ve been married to Chip for 21 years! That’s crazy to me! I swear I’m still 30-something. We have 3 teenage boys. That’s another kind of crazy! Our oldest is 18. (Insert tears of high school graduation, starting college and hoping you can cook and do laundry on your own) It’s nuts, y’all. Savor the moments, mommas. It flies.
We are living life in Jackson, TN, and I love our community of people here. I work at Union University, teach college girls on Sunday mornings, sing in the choir, and serve with our jail ministry at Englewood Baptist Church. I am also a partner in a non-profit ministry with my two best friends, Christy and Robyn, that we founded called “More than a Mission Trip.” Our heart is missions in every form and fashion. Our heart is for the lost, the saved who are lost, God’s precious people at the ends of the earth and those who are around the corner. Our desire is to encourage other women to serve God locally and globally…there is no better time than NOW to love, obey and serve Him with all we have! We can’t question or delay what God clearly calls us to do.
So how appropriate for me to choose a verse that has me in a season of being scared to death of what God has called me to do. Would this be the Christian “pot calling the kettle black” or what? I like safe and comfy just like you do. It’s predictable and doesn’t make my stomach hurt. I know the scriptural promises from Him, but there is simply something terrifying about taking new steps with Him after a season of predictability. *sigh*
So, we press on, sisters. We believe Him and take Him at His word. I’m doing this even with the butterflies alive and churning about! Unfortunately, I think I have an unbelief issue right now, but I’m choosing to believe Him for this season because He is able! He is faithful… Me? Not so much. He never fails. NEVER.
“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” James 1:6
I don’t want to doubt or be tossed around because of my unbelief. I want my feet to be steady and secure in Him, His voice, and His direction. I really want to believe Him and trust Him even with these butterflies during this new season. I don’t just want to say, “Yes, Lord I believe you,” but it only be a temporary belief or trust. We’ll start strong and then fade, don’t we?
Lord, help my unbelief.
It’s easy to say, “Sure, I’ll get out of the boat, and walk toward Jesus,” but it’s a whole other thing to actually put the feet into motion, isn’t it? Let’s not be tossed around, sisters. Let’s walk by faith and take Him at His Word. Let’s choose to believe Him girls!! Declare it even when we don’t feel it. We’ll begin to believe what we know and speak over that situation. Let’s declare the Truth that we are hiding in our hearts.
Y’all are such a blast! Hang in there and march on strong and steady because we are MORE than conquerors! We CAN do this because He WILL show us the way! He will NOT leave us! He WILL show Himself faithful! He has good plans for this season! He will NOT harm us! And on and on and on the promises go. Declare them. Believe them.
It’s such an honor to journey alongside you. I will be your biggest fan and cheer you on like nobody’s business. Fix those pretty eyes on Jesus and let’s run our race well. I’m praying for us all. I desperately need Jesus and His Word.
Love y’all,
Fran
Sarah Stephenson; Auburn, AL; “The he said to me, ‘prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know I am the Lord.” So I prophesied as I was commanded. As I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and the tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, ‘prophesy to the breath prophesy, son of man, and say to it ‘this is what the Sovereign Lord says: come from the four winds, O Breath, and breathe life into these slain, that they may live.” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet – vast army.” -Ezekiel 37:4-10 (NIV)
Danielle from Cedar Park, TX
And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in.
Isaiah 58:12 (ESV)
Luda Kosenko
Baltimore, MD
I say then, “walk by the Spirit” and
you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit,
and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh;
these are opposed to each other,
so that you don’t do what you want.
Galatians 5:16-17 (HCSB)
Sara Meredith, Morton IL
…the grass withers and the flowers fade, but the Word of our God stands forever. Isaiah 40:8 NLT
The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. Matthew 23: 23 11-12 ESV
Delores O.
Lake Stevens, WA
But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord–who is the Spirit–makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image.
2 Corinthians 3:16-18 NLT
Carolyn , Terrace BC Canada
Isaiah 41:13 NIV
For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you,
Do not fear; I will help you.
Nancy, Ethel Mo Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3 NAS
Joy Landis, Mountain House, CA
Psalm 34:2(NASB)
“My soul will make its boast in the Lord, the humble will hear it and rejoice.”
Val, Aldergrove, BC Canada
Ephesians 4:2 NIV
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Kathy from Chandler, OK ““They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the LORD to care for them.” Psalms 112:7 NLT
Carolyn Tragesser, Orofino, Idaho
…For the LORD goes before you; the God of Israel is your rear guard. Isaiah 52:12b
I second Fran’s suggestion! I’ve been putting the brief circumstances behind each verse since I began memorizing in 2012, and it’s sweet to see how the Lord leads. The closer I abide, the more I realize how He directs. I started out with 100 Bible Verses Everyone Should Know by Heart by Robert Morgan, and barely began when I realized Jesus had an order in mind for me. Wow!
Please pray, my SSMT family, for my friend Johann whose house burned up last night. A town 20 miles away (Kamiah, Idaho) was evacuated yesterday, and last night, another fire hit one of the ridges surrounding the Clearwater Valley where Orofino sits.
Pay close attention to your own work. Then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.
Galatians 6:4
Cara Gabrielse, Parker And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. Luke 5:6-7, NLT
San Diego, CA
If I speak of God’s word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump”, and it jumps, but I dont have love, I am nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:2 MSG
Bonnie O’Shields, Dacusville, SC
“Don’t be deceived, my dearly loved brothers.” James 1:16 HCSB
Theresa, Glendale AZ, He who heeds the word wisely will find good, and whoever trusts in the Lord, Happy is he. Proverbs 16:20 NKJV
Barbara Ford – Troy, MO
“God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:2 (HCSB)
Connie – Fulton, Ky
O Lord, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress. Isaiah 33:22 NIV 1984
Jane Lakey, Panama City Beach, Fl
Colossians 1: 3-6, NIV
3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— 5 the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel 6 that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace.
Susan Chung, Long Island, NY
Colossians 1:17-18
He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
Brenda – Jordan, MN
“But the LORD stood at my side and gave me strength.”
2 Timothy 4:17a NIV
Susan Young, Fairhope,AL
The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
James 3:17 (NIV)
“But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
James 4:6-7 NIV 1984
Laura D, Cleveland, OH
“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”
Hebrews 10:35-36 NIV
Colleen Duebber. Cincinnati, Ohio.
May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Psalm 19:14 NLT
Norma Jean, Medford, OR
“And which of you by being overly anxious and troubled with cares can add a cubit to his stature or a moment (unit) of time to his age?”
Luke 12:25 AMP
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; Ephesians 4:22 NIV
Andrea S. Fort Worth, TX
“But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: He is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him.” Psalm 37:39-40 KJV
LINDA
MONTANA
NKJV GAL 1:3
“Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ”
Kathi Griffin from Macon, GA:
“Even to your old age and gray hairs
I am He, I am He who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you:
I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Isaiah 46:4 (NIV)
Asheboro, NC
Philippians 4:6-7 ESV
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understnading, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Pamma Rippe in Abingdon, VA
Jeremiah 17:14 HCSB
“Heal me, LORD, and I will be healed;
save me, and I will be saved,
for You are my praise.”
Francine Thacker, Burnet,TX
If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31 ESV
Dana Nance
Blue Ridge, TX
As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.
Psalm 103:15-16 NIV (1984)
Gail Ouimette Tumalo, Oregon
If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
Romans 14:8 NIV
Romans 15:4b NIV
And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.
Bonnie Mink Hendersonville, TN For with God nothing shall be impossible. Luke 1:37 KJV
Julia Posel, Munich, Germany. “You are my refuge and my shield; Your Word is my source of hope.” (Psalms 119:114 NLT)
Brady Bradshaw, Cedar Rapids, IA. “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joint and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12 NIV
Rosalye
Vicksburg
These instructions are not empty words -they are your life!
Deut.32:47a
NLT
Glennell Strawn
Buda, TX
Hebrews 4:15-16(ESV)
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Alison Wagler, Vancouver, Canada. Ecc.3.1.nasb There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven-
Teri, Kalamazoo, MI
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2 NIV
Antoinette Krietemeijer, Hoofddorp, the Netherlands (Europe)
Daarom ook is iemand die één met Christus is, een nieuwe schepping. Het oude is voorbij, het nieuwe is gekomen.
Dit alles is het werk van God.
2 Korintiers 5: 17, 18a
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. -Colossians 2:8 NIV
Sarah Tarr, Franklin TN
But he said to me, ‘my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)
Brandy Trahan
Port Nexhes, TX 77651
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Philippians 4:8 NIV
Rhonda Mckamie – OKC
1 Peter 1:9 NIV
for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls,
Laury Pitts from San Clemente, CA: ” May the LORD give you increase more and more, You and your children.” Psalm 115:14 NKJV